1. Asthma and COPD Hannah Bishop Advanced Nurse Practitioner
HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE
Asthma and COPD
Hannah Bishop
Advanced Nurse
Practitioner

2. Asthma and COPD HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH CONFERENCE
Common respiratory conditions
At Arch:
11% of patients are diagnosed with Asthma.
5% of patients are diagnosed with COPD (likely higher but undiagnosed) Compared to 2% of population
Other respiratory conditions:
Pneumonia
Tuberculosis (TB)
Interstitial Lung Disease

3. Asthma and COPD HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH CONFERENCE
What are your questions?
What do you what to know by the end of this workshop?

4. Asthma HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH CONFERENCE What is it?
Caused by irritants…
Dust
Exercise
Pollen
Smoking
Environment
Emotions
Stress
Anxiety
Symptoms…
Short of breath/breathlessness
Wheezy
Cough
Waking in night coughing

5. Use inhalers REGULARLY for best effect
HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE
Asthma
Treatments..
Salbutamol
Quick acting
Opens up airways
Clenil (inhaled steroid)
Works over 12 hours
Supports airway (a bit like scaffolding)
Spacers improve effect of inhalers by 70%
Use inhalers REGULARLY for best effect

6. Asthma and Homelessness
HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE
Asthma and Homelessness
Use Reliever more (blue inhaler)
Poorer control of symptoms
Less control over environment – irritants: damp, dust etc…
Increased stress, heighted emotions = increased symptoms
Difficult to store and keep medications safe – often without inhalers and have breaks in treatment = more frequent symptoms
FLU VACCINE (yearly) – REALLY IMPORTANT
PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINE (one off usually) – REALLY IMPORTANT

7. HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE
COPD

8. Use inhalers REGULARLY for best effect
HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE
COPD
Exacerbations….
Treatments
One..
Two or…
Three treatments
Use inhalers REGULARLY for best effect

9. COPD and Homelessness HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH CONFERENCE
It is irreversible and will progress to become more severe over time
Stopping smoking can help halt progression
Usually effects people >40years but much more common at younger age – smoking weed, heroin causes significant damage to lungs
Need regular review to check progression, symptoms and correct treatment. Please support people to attend!
Loose inhalers – breaks in treatment = increased symptoms
Exacerbation – increased productive cough, increased shortness of breath. Prompt treatment – please support people to see us sooner.
Increased admissions to hospital – more at risk of pneumonia.
Need FLU vaccine and PNEUMOCOCCAL

10. HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE TB

11. HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE TB

12. HOMELESSNESS AND
HEALTH CONFERENCE
QUESTIONS